The Ginny Year
by SleepyAngel
Summary: Ginny wishes she could confide in some one, being the only daughter in a family of seven children. When she finds a magic diary, it looks like things are getting better. Looks are decieving and not all diaries are harmless..
1. The Diary

~AN: In one of the reviews, some one suggested going farther back in my story of Ginny   
in the Chamber of Secrets, and follow her through the year she was under the Imperius   
Curse. I thought that sounded good...I hope you guys agree as you read!  
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters if they are in J.K. Rowling's series.  
  
  
Ginny Weasley slumped miserably onto her bed, causing the stuffing to bulge out  
more than usual. She was glad she was finally going to Hogwarts, but she wasn't so happy  
about what she had to go with.  
  
Sighing, she dumped her bag that was bulging with things recently bought in  
Diagon Alley. The contents toppled and bounced about her bed. She shifted through them,  
looking for anything that wasn't torn, ripped, used...  
Nothing. She sighed again. All of the books, her robes, cauldron, even her wand,  
were second-hand and in terrible condition. Ginny didn't half blame Mr. Malfoy for making  
such a scene at the poor state of her A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration book.   
  
Ginny picked up that book, which was barely held together with thick tape. Feeling  
her face become sadder and sadder, she listlessly flipped the pages. Various notes were  
written in it (Concentrate on making the match pointy first....), hasty reminders (Test on  
first section, Friday!!!), and silly hearts (A.F. loves M.M.). Ginny wondered briefly if she  
would ever absentmindedly write Harry Potter's name in any of the books, and quickly  
thought about something else, her cheeks flaming as if some one was reading her thoughts  
about her crush. Harry was staying with them for the rest of the summer, and every time  
Ginny was in the same room with him, she did something stupid and clumsy. She knew  
he'd never like some one like her, and wondered what he'd think if he saw his name in a  
heart in her books. She shivered at the thought.  
  
Tired of looking through the old book, she dropped it. Just looking at it  
depressed her, reminding her that her family barely had enough to support itself. She was  
sure that at school they'd tease her for her used robes. And her books, if the others were  
all as bad as Transfiguration, which Ginny could tell they were, she wouldn't be able to  
read from them, torn and written in, and wouldn't concentrate, sure that every eye was  
looking at the tattered books.  
  
Ready to cry, Ginny threw herself down on the bed, belly first.   
  
"OUCH!" she yelped as something hard jabbed her in the stomach. Turning on her  
side, she blindly grabbed the object and flung it off the bed, to the corner of her room. A  
Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration flew through the air and landed with a "thump."  
Something fell out from between the pages of the book.  
Curiousity coming over pity for herself, Ginny walked over to the book and picked  
up whatever had fallen out. It was a small black book. Caustiously, she flipped open the  
first few pages, seeing the pages labeled with dates.  
  
"Oh!" Ginny cried softly. It was a diary, she realized. She'd always wanted  
something to confide in, being the only girl, except her mum, in a household of older  
brothers and busy father. There were somethings a girl couldn't even tell her mum and a  
diary had always seemed like a dream. Still, she hadn't remembered her parents buying this  
one, couldn't imagine her Dad or Mum picking out something like this for thier only  
daughter.   
  
Wondering where it came from, she flipped to the inside cover, where there, barely  
visible, was writing. Squinting, she made out the name "T.M. Riddle", in faded ink.   
  
"Riddle?" Ginny thought out loud, thinking the name was familar. She shook her  
head, not being able to remember. The awe of finding the diary was wearing off, and  
curiousity was becoming the first thing in Ginny's mind.   
  
She flopped on her bed once more, avoiding books this time, and scanned the first  
few pages. None of them had writing on them. Thinking maybe the writer started farther  
in, Ginny opened the book to the center, and began looking again. Not a single word  
greeted her eyes. Slightly disappointed, she closed the book. Then, remembering her  
excitement of her very own diary, one that hadn't been passed down through through the  
whole family, rushed back. She scrabbled for a quill.  
  
Ginny paused, quill poised just above the blank page. Would she like it if some one  
started writing in her personal books? Certiainly not. Deciding it was only fair not to mar  
the pages of T.M. Riddle's book, she sighed and closed the diary. She started to push  
away the book again, but then grabbed it again. It was too good to pass up a chance to  
write out her thoughts. Whoever this T.M. Riddle was, her or she wasn't using the diary  
now, so Ginny didn't want the empty book to go to waste. It was only fair to have this  
after the disappointment of her ratty school supplies.   
  
Thinking for a moment about what she needed to write about, Ginny started  
scribbling.  
  
Dear Diary,  
It's terrible being poor. Today, we went shopping in Diagon Alley and everything  
that Mum and Dad didn't have at home for me, we got it. But all of it is second-hand,  
ratty, old, used stuff that will probably fall apart in the first week. I can't talk to my parents  
about money because Mum will get upset, telling me how lucky I'm going at all, and she'll  
get red in the face and start puffing at me, like she does with Fred and George when they  
get her mad. And Dad, I feel worse, because he'll act totally embarressed and look really  
sad because he didn't get a raise or something. Sometimes, I feel like I'm stupid to worry  
about money as long as I have food and a house and my family, but then I feel totally  
desperate to have a single Knut to my name.   
  
Ginny looked over her recent entry. It pretty much summed up her feelings, but  
then she remembered Fred teasing her earlier about the Sorting. Ready to add that in, she  
picked up the quill and looked back at the page she'd written on. It was empty.  
Gasping, she looked at her quill, thinking that those stupid brothers of her had  
switched her school quill with an invisible ink one. Then she remembered seeing the words  
for herself. Something was very wrong.  
  
As she stared at the open diary, trying to figure out what happened, words started  
coming back, like they'd never left. Relieved, she looked at them again. Her eyes went  
wide. She'd never written what was appearing in front of her eyes.  
  
I'm so sorry, dear. It sounds like you've had a very bad day. You can tell me about  
it if you like. Just write more in the diary.  
  
The words were sucked back into the page as soon as they had come. Shaking,  
Ginny wrote,   
  
Who are you?  
  
The words disappeared before her eyes and the reply came back in seconds.  
  
Tom Riddle. And you?  
  
Ginny was ready to write back, eager to have found such an object, a sympathizing  
diary, when her door opened. Percy stood in the doorway, looking his usual pompous and  
self assured self. Ginny jumped in surprise and stashed her new book under a pile of  
others.  
  
"Dinner's ready, Ginny. Are you ok?" Percy was giving Ginny a search with his  
sharp eyes, a look he'd gotten ever since he'd become a Perfect, that reminded Ginny of  
Mum's when she looked pale or scared. She saw her hands were shaking.  
  
"I'm fine. What are we having to eat?"  
  
  
AN~before this was hermione who comes to ginny's room but then i remembered that she didn't  
stay with them till later, so i changed it to percy...sorry about this  



	2. Mums and Mysteries

  
  
The day they were to arrive at school, Ginny felt extremely nervous. It was like  
Fred or George had given her a peppermint frog the way her stomach felt; it was the same  
hoppy sensation she'd had when she'd learned Harry was staying at the Burrow.   
She had packed everything into her truck the day before, and now she lugged it  
down the stairs, with her dad pulling one end. As all the luggage was packed up, Ginny  
was surprised it all fit in the Muggle car they were riding. With one glance at her dad's  
face, she could tell he'd added some of his own modifications. Luckily, her mum hadn't  
said much about it.  
  
Her mind was so full of nervous anticipation that she'd completely forgetten to  
pack her diary. After George had made them go back for his fireworks and Fred for his  
broomstick, Ginny knew she'd forgotten something too and remembered it minutes after  
they'd started again. Her parents were not pleased as they headed out again.  
  
Ginny didn't mind much that her parents were upset. She didn't think she'd go long  
in Hogwarts without the confidant she'd found with the diary. Tom was a great listener,  
and she had no problem pouring out her troubles to him. She sighed. She wished that  
others were so easy to talk to.  
  
Once they'd arrived at the train station, they had about five minutes for everyone to  
get to the train that would bring them to Hogwarts. Ginny was paired with her mom to go  
through the magical portal to the nine and three quarters station. Praying silently with a  
brief close of her eyes, Ginny strode with her mom through the solid barrier. When she  
opened her eyes again, she found herself on the platform with the deep red train. She  
breathed a sigh of relief, not sure if it would work. Being a first year had a whole ton of  
worries.  
  
The whole place was bustling with wizards and witches, saying goodbye to their  
children or boarding the Hogwarts Express to head for school. Ginny decided to find  
Hermoine, the girl that her brother and Harry had befriended. She wanted to sit with Ron  
and Harry, but didn't want to be obvious. She knew that Hermoine would go and find a  
seat with them anyway.  
  
"You have everything, Ginny?" Mum gave her a warm smile, and Ginny smiled  
back. If she looked closer, she'd see the tears in her mum's eyes. The last of the Weasley's  
was heading off to Hogwarts, no more children to stay at home with, except maybe the  
holidays. Ginny gave her mom a big hug and replied, "I love you, mum. I'll miss you." She  
meant it too. She felt her own tears of longing to be with her mother, no matter how much  
she felt smothered sometimes. Being the only daughter was hard on a girl, with her own  
mom busy taking care of the boys, exclaiming over their O.W.L.s, pranks they'd pulled at  
school, and how she missed Charlie and Bill.   
  
"You too, dear. You know that your father and I love you tons." Mrs. Weasley  
had a death grip and she used it now as she embraced her only daughter. Ginny felt  
awkward standing there, in front of all the people she'd be seeing at Hogwarts, having the  
life squeezed out of her. But she accepted it, feeling totally at a loss for words. With misty  
final goodbyes, Mrs. Weasley left, having hollered a warning to Fred and George about  
the trouble they'd be in if they did any kind of foolish tricks. That was her way of saying  
she loved the twins. With Percy, she'd compliment his grades and things that were  
important to him. Ginny felt lucky to be a girl, able to have the hug.  
Remembering that she was to leave in a manner of seconds, and if she didn't hurry,  
she'd be left, Ginny quickly dragged her trunk and boarded. She searched the Express'  
occupants for a friendly face.  
  
Ginny quickly spotted Hermoine's bushy hair and rushed over to say hi.  
  
~  
  
Ginny couldn't believe it. Ron and Harry hadn't come through the solid barrier like  
they were supposed to. It looked like they'd skipped out on Hogwarts because they  
weren't anywhere on the train. Hermoine, naturally, worried.  
  
"I wonder where they could be. Are you sure they didn't..." Hermoine obviously  
didn't know what they wouldn't have done, because she didn't finish as she went off and  
again. Ginny politely ignored her, pretending to be interested in Neville Longbottom's  
toad, Trevor. He had his pet in his lap, and let her hold him, after she solemnly swore not  
to lose him. She wished she could have a pet, but knew it was out of the question. She  
longed to talk to Tom about it, and ask if he'd ever had a pet.  
  
"-maybe some one's taken them! There are all types of people who would love to  
get their hands on a couple of wizards and if anyone saw their books, and wands, and  
Hedwig is a kind of giveaway-" Hermoine continued.  
  
"Or maybe they just learned to Apparate," George added in sarcastically as he and  
Fred entered the compartment that Hermoine, Ginny, and Neville shared.  
  
"Bet the Dursleys wanted Harry back for the summer and took Ron because he's  
just so cute," Fred snickered.  
  
"No, wait. It has to be Malfoy. He took Harry in as a friend and now has them  
both down with the Slytherins." Neville became nervous at the mention of Slytherins.  
  
"Come on, Hermoine. Who cares?" Fred finished. Hermoine's mouth went into a  
thin line and Ginny stared at Trevor, who was becoming very hard to hold, squirming all  
over. She handed him back to Neville.   
  
"Don't you at least care?" Hermoine asked, obviously upset that Ron's own brother  
could be so mean. Ginny was used to it. George and Fred teased anyone, especially if they  
were related.  
  
"Sure. Just not as much as mother dragon with her eggs. Lighten up. Game of  
Gobstones?" Fred challenged Neville.  
  
"I-I always lose," Neville stammered, biting his lip and tightening his grip on  
Trevor. Ginny felt sorry for him, with his bad self esteem and bad luck or skill. He never  
seemed to be good at anything.  
  
George and Fred left, probably going to find Lee Jordan, and Ginny tried to think  
of a way to distract Hermoine.  
  
"What are the classes like, Hermoine?" Ginny asked, the top thought on her mind,  
hoping it was enough to get Hermoine's attention. She'd succeeded as the light went on  
Hermoine's eyes and she rambled on about Transfiguration, Charms, and who knows what  
else. Ginny was too busy doing her own worrying.  
What had happened to Harry and Ron?  
  



	3. The Sorting(dumb title...live with it!)

  
When they arrived at Hogwarts, Ginny felt her worries about the boys fade and her  
own come roaring back. What if she didn't get into Gryffindor, like the rest of her family?  
What if she couldn't do any of the magic? Was Snape really as bad as Ron said? Could  
Filch find any trouble in the whole castle? Would she miss her mom and dad terribly?   
An enormous man, looking like a giant, rounded up all the first years, herded them  
down a path that was pitch dark, and gathered them into boats to cross the black lake that  
stood in the way of getting to Hogwarts. Ginny gasped at the site of the enormous castle,  
proud and tall, with so many towers and turrets that she felt faint with worry she'd never  
find her way around.  
  
"Ron's sister, I reckon?" the huge man, asked, a smile hidden underneath a wild  
beard. Ginny felt small, very small, and scared as she nodded. She figured, by his size,  
must be the game keeper that her brother talked about, Hagrid.   
  
Hagrid laughed. The sound was loud and booming, but somehow it made him  
seem less scary and more friendly. "I could tell by yer red 'air." Ginny self-conciously  
touched the wild mane that quickly identified her as a Weasley. She'd never liked being  
sorted into a category already just by her hair. Depending on who they knew, wizards and  
witches thought she was either extremely smart and dedicated, or troublesome and funny.  
Considering she didn't feel like either Percy or the twins, she hoped that some one would  
recognize her as Ginny Weasley and not one of her brothers.  
  
"...and Harry Potter is a second year...." Ginny felt her head jerk away from Hagrid  
at the mention of her crush. She saw a first year with mousy brown hair who was shorter  
then she was talking animatedly about Harry. She looked away, hoping that he didn't  
suspect she liked him by her attention to his words. It turned out that he was too busy  
informing the others of Harry's greatness to notice how she'd jerked at the mention of him.  
  
They felt a sudden jerk and Ginny looked to see that they'd reached a landing for  
the boats. She and the other first years eagerly scrambled out of them and Hagrid counted  
everybody to make sure they were there. Ginny's mind flicked briefly to Ron and Harry's  
disappearance from Hogwarts students, but her thoughts returned to Hagrid as he  
knocked three times on the castle door.  
  
Ginny took a step back at the sight of the witch in the door and crunched on some  
poor first year's foot. Everything about the witch was severe; her hair, her eyes under her  
glasses, the way she stood and glared. The whole group was silent, as if sensing that this  
witch was very strict, which she was. Her name came to Ginny in a flash, the only one  
who could possibly fill her presence; Professor McGonagall, the head of Gryffindor and  
teacher of Transfiguration.  
  
Hagrid introduced the group as first years and left them with the teacher. The  
professor scrutinized the group under a hawk's eye, and gave a slight smile. "Welcome to  
Hogwarts, students."   
  
The first years folled her as she fairly marched down the hallways, finding the way  
to go very fast. Ginny made sure to keep her feet to herself and not trod on anybody  
again. Professor McGonagall was going on about how Hogwarts worked, with the  
students being Sorted into one of the four houses (Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and  
Hufflepuff), earning and losing points in a House Cup competition, and that the start-of-  
terms feast would begin after everyone was Sorted. Ginny shivered involuntarily at the  
mention of Sorting. She still worried about not getting into Gryffindor, since everyone in  
her family, including her parents, had been in that house.  
  
"I hope I'm in Gryffindor. Harry Potter's in that house. It has to be a good one if  
Harry's in it..." the mousy-haired boy whispered to anyone listening. Ginny felt a blush  
coming to her cheeks and hoped no one noticed. That was another reason she wanted to  
be in Gryffindor.  
  
They entered the dining hall, a huge hall where the ceiling was enchanted to look  
like the outdoor sky. The stars sparkled brightly and candles lit the tables. Students were  
seated at four tables, one for each house, with teachers sitting at a head table, and all  
watched as the first years nervously filed in. On a stool sat the weathered, frayed Sorting  
Hat, waiting to be put on. Out of the deep silence that was surprising for such a great  
group, the Hat suddenly sang out:  
  
At last the first years have arrived  
Nervous, excited, happy  
Curious, eager, hopeful  
Wondering what to make of me  
Maybe I'm a little shabby  
Maybe a little worn  
But if you put me on your head  
You'll find the reason I was born  
I'll look inside your small heads  
Pondering where to sort you  
I'll know just where you belong here  
Put you where you cannot argue  
If you're brave, bold, and courageous,  
Perhaps in Gryffindor you'll be.  
If you're loyal, willing to do right,  
Hufflepuff's standard fits you snugly.  
Ravenclaw is a house for those with brains,  
The ones there must be wise.  
Last with sly Slytherin comes cunning,  
Where the tricky and shrewd will rise.  
You'll soon join the other students  
With the study and fun enjoyed here  
I think you'll like what you get  
You'll enjoy your first year.  
  
The whole hall clapped as the Hat finished its song. Ginny saw her hands go together,  
adding to the din, but she didn't hear anything as her thoughts raced in her ears. The  
students waited as Professor McGonagall read the first name off a scroll she held. 


	4. Fancy Arrival

  
Chapter 4~A Fancy Arrival  
  
Ginny breathed freely as she pulled the Sorting Hat off her head. Seconds before,  
it'd screamed "GRYFFINDOR!" for the whole hall to hear, much to her relief. To think,  
the shame of being put in any other house, when the whole family...  
She didn't think about it as she sat down with Percy at the Gryffindor table. She  
didn't know many others, but even that was a poor excuse for sitting with this particular  
brother. He condescendingly patted her on the back and whispered how glad he was to  
have her at their table, as if he were the Minister of Magic. Ginny bit back the anger and  
pretended she liked sitting next to him. It was almost time to eat anyway; Weasley was the  
third to last name in the list of first years.  
  
Dumbledore took a stand and spoke, "Welcome, new first years, and welcome  
back to all our other students. I'm sure we'll have a great year, as we do every year! Well,  
enjoy the feast!" As he finished, food appeared on the tables, pumpkin juice in the goblets,  
and everyone started shouting for sandwiches, roast beef, chicken, and potatoes and all the  
delicious foods that were presented. Ginny was as eager as anyone as she reached for a  
serving spoon to get some of the steaming soup she'd spotted in front of her.  
  
"Excuse me? May I talk to you? Please?" Ginny looked up, startled, and managed  
to pour a bit of soup onto the table. She yelped and Percy went after the little river of  
soup with a napkin, directing her a glare her mother used often.  
  
Remembering the voice who had been speaking to her, Ginny turned to look at a  
small boy, the one she remembered going on and on about Harry. "Um, what?" she asked  
shyly, blushing as she realized he'd been witness to the whole soup scene. She hated doing  
stupid things in front of people, and yet, she always accomplished just that.  
  
"Hi, I'm Collin Creevey." Ginny hadn't time to introduce herself as Colin went on,  
not pausing for breath, "I heard that Harry Potter stayed with your family during part of  
the summer and was wandering if you could tell me somethings about him. I really like  
Harry, even though I haven't met him, but I'm sure I will. I'm so glad that I'm in  
Gryffindor, aren't you? I mean, Harry's here and everyone knows how good he is, saving  
us from You-Know-Who and all, so the house he's in must be the best. I really would like  
to get his picture, you know, type of souvenior..."  
  
"I-" Ginny tried to interrupt, not wanting to listen to this monolouge.  
  
"-and then, I overheard some teachers, even though I didn't mean to, and they  
were talking about Harry and your brother hadn't come to school and they had this paper  
and it had this flying car in it and then-"  
  
"Collin, we're trying to eat," Percy stopped the bumbling first year from continuing  
his speech. But Hermione came in,"Flying car? Collin, are you sure?" Ginny knew what  
she was thinking; the car they'd driven to the train station in could also fly, the  
transportation her brothers had used to get Harry to The Burrow.  
Collin nodded, as if he'd never been more sure in his life.   
  
By this time, the whole Gryffindor table was listening to little Creevey, who went  
off again, "Anyway, the teachers were very upset and Proffessor McGonagall and  
Dumbledore left, following Professor Snape who'd come in, and I guess Harry and Ron  
must have come in the car! Isn't that great? I mean, who would've thought. A flying car!"  
As Collin went on and on about how fabulous that was, Ginny glanced at Hermione, then  
Percy, both of whom were tight lipped and looked reprimanding, and lastly looked for  
Fred and George.  
  
Fred and George were joining in on the whoops and excited chatter about Ron and  
Harry, arriving with style. Gryffindor was proud.  
  
~~~~  
  
Dear Tom,  
You wouldn't believe how my brother, Ron, and Harry got to school! They  
actually used Dad's car, the one that flies, and drove all the way, in the clouds! They got a  
bit ruffled by crashing into the Whomping Willow, and Ron's wand is totally wrecked, but  
the worst news is that Percy told me he bet Mum would also sent a Howler, which is ten  
times worse than anything. At that thought, I really hoped that that wouldn't happen.  
Maybe Ron is annoying, but he doesn't deserve that. I hope I can stay out of trouble  
because I think I'd die if I got one of those.  
  
Ginny was used to the swirly words that appeared where hers used to be. Every  
night she couldn't wait to get all her feelings about the day, confiding in her friend she'd  
found.  
  
Wow. Sounds like you have quite an exciting time already, with school not even  
started. Things are Hogwarts sure have livened up since I was there. But things weren't  
exactly void of events either. There was alot of mystery in my day.  
  
With eyes that were used to reading quickly to catch everything before they  
disappeared, Ginny wondered what he meant. She scribbled a reply quickly.  
  
What happened when you were here?  
  
She waited, but not for long.   
  
The Chamber of Secrets happened.  
  
Ginny gasped. She'd heard about it before, though most said it was a legend. There  
was supposedly a "chamber" somewhere in the school that no one knew where, and a  
horrible beast laired in it. No one the exact truth except the teachers and students of fifty  
years ago who lived through it. All Ginny knew for sure was that The Chamber of Secrets  
was a big, scary deal.  
  
Can you tell me about it?   
  
She clenched her hands, making them tight fists as she watched the book for the  
reply. The diary didn't answer for a long time. Ginny worried that somehow Tom had  
walked away, like the people in pictures, but words came and canceld that fear.  
  
No, I think it might give you nightmares. Isn't it late, by the way?  
  
Ginny looked up to see that the window's light had long been gone and she'd been  
hunched over the diary with her nose practically to it, using the glow of a candle she'd set  
out in the common room, after everyone had left. Startled, Ginny wrote a quick goodnight  
and raced for her bedroom.  
  



	5. A New Friend

Chapter 5~The First Breakfast  
  
With a long stretch of her arms, Ginny felt some of her sleepiness flee her body,  
though she couldn't open her eyes yet. Luckily, it seemed like today would be downcast,  
judging by the fact no light was catching her face. She rolled over anyway, and went back  
to sleep.  
  
Minutes later, she felt herself being shaken. Her eyes fluttered open, and she  
groggily looked to see why her mum was shaking her so early. When her eyes adjusted,  
they met a girl with blonde hair, and big round eyes staring back at her, not at all the deep  
red hair of her mom, or hawklike eyes. The girl continued to shake her vigorously.  
  
"Wake up, breakfast's almost started!" the girl said, as the manner of greeting.  
Ginny barely heard the words, but when they registered, she leapt out of bed and  
immediately tripped on her blankets, landing on her face. Of course, with this girl she'd  
have to make a fool of herself. Wasn't it inevitable that she had a knack for making every  
one think she was a klutz?  
  
"Why aren't you eating?" Ginny asked as she dressed quickly, not caring about  
modesty when she was going to be missing her first breakfast at Hogwarts. She hurriedly  
ran a comb through her mop of hair. As she glanced in the mirror, she wished for not the  
first time, that she could braid and get the whole mass out of her face. She also noticed a  
bit of a bruise on her cheek starting to appear, from where she'd hit the floor. Great. What  
a great start to a day.  
  
"Everyone else has already left, but I couldn't leave you here," the girl replied,  
watching Ginny curiously. It made Ginny squirm and she quickly ran out of the room,  
followed by this girl.  
  
When they arrived in the hall, most students were already seated, chatting and  
eating, so the two students rushed to grab a seat and some food. Ginny had a small  
portion of porridge and a piece of toast while her companion munched on kippers and  
eggs.   
  
"Thank you for waking me up," Ginny finally said, after swallowing a large  
spoonful of the porridge that was, luckily and probably magically, still hot.  
  
"No problem." The girl took a huge bite of her own food. Ginny realized they  
didn't even know each other's names and quickly introduced herself.  
  
"I'm Shannon Abbott. I know who you are because of your older brother. My  
sister, Hannah, is a second year too, but she's in Hufflepuff. She likes Ron," the girl  
whispered, to which Ginny knew she wasn't supposed to be told. Ginny didn't see what  
was so great about Ron; he was just as mean and annoying as a garden gnome.  
  
"Ron's nothing great," was all of Ginny's reply and she took a bite of her toast.  
Shannon shook her head. "You'd think he was Harry Potter the way she goes on  
about him..." Ginny dropped her goblet at the mention of Harry's name. Orange colored  
juice spilled on the table cloth. By the way her face steamed up as she reached for a  
napkin, Ginny knew she had to be as red as her hair.  
  
"Oops," she said, hoping Shannon would think this was a one time incident, even  
though she'd done two things in front of her that made her look stupid.  
Shannon looked like she was about to say something more, but the swooshing of  
owls came overhead prevented her. Ginny thought she'd never loved owls more.  
Until she saw Errol, her family's sweep over to Ron, carrying a huge, red  
envolope. The poor bird collasped under the strain, but Ron and Neville, the two with  
identical faces of horror, ignored him and stared at the envelope in the owl's outstreched  
claw. The four in their group, Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Harry, were obviously  
discussing it, Ron and Neville terrified, and Hermione and Harry wondering what the fuss  
was about.  
  
Ginny knew.  
  
Apparently, so did Shannon. Her eyes widened and she leaned over to Ginny, "Isn't  
that a-"  
  
"-Howler," Ginny finished and just in time as Ron opened the envelope and the  
familar voice of their mum filled the room, booming larger than before. Ginny winced as  
she heard her brother being reprimanded loud enough for all of Hogwarts to hear.   
It was obviously going to be a very good day. Ha.  



	6. A Never Ending Day

  
Chapter 6~A Never Ending Day  
  
Ginny nervously scratched her quill across the page as she took notes in Professor  
McGonagall's class. She hoped she was doing alright, wondering what would happen if  
she messed up her first day. At the beginning of class, McGonagall had gave them a brief  
introduction about Transfiguration for first years, and then proceded to change her desk  
into a cow. Everyone had cheered, Ginny included, though she felt something squirm in  
her stomach. Were they going to have to do something like that already?   
  
"Alright, class. You should be finished with the notes right now," McGonagall  
said, giving anyone who was desperately scribbling a dark look. "Now, we will try our  
wands on a match, and try to transfigure it into a needle." Ginny felt a sigh of relief. "Refer  
to your notes if you need help. Put your books away." McGonagall gave Yolanda Perry a  
stern glare for the supposedly hidden book under her notebook. The professor sat back in  
her chair to watch the first years try the task.  
  
Ginny felt her face heat up as her wand made a loud raspberry when she tried to do  
anything with it. Even McGonagall seemed to have the slightest of a smile, determining to  
Ginny that she should stop trying. She stared at the match, holding her wand up as a  
pretense to doing any work. After what seemed an eternity, the class ended and she was  
the first out the door.  
  
In her hurry, she bumped into some one, dropping her bag. "Sorry," she muttered  
as she grabbed at a quill that had fallen out. Looking up, she saw it was Harry she'd run  
into. He bent down to pick up some of her stuff that'd fallen out of the bag, with Ron and  
Hermione helping too. Ginny's eyes widened and she sprinted away, leaving her supplies  
and feeling very much like she could cry. Once again, she'd embarressed herself in front of  
her crush.   
  
Right then, Ginny wished that she was back at the Burrow, safe and alone with her  
mum, who she never made a fool of herself in front of. Even if she did mess up, her  
mother always seemed to find ways that made everything better. There didn't seem like  
there was a solution like that now.  
  
"Ginny, Ginny, wait up!" Ginny turned to see Shannon running down the hall after  
her. She stopped and waited for her new friend to catch up. As Shannon caught up, her  
breathing heaving, she smiled.  
  
"You...like...Harry...don't...you?" she asked between gasping breaths. Ginny knew  
she must look like a camp fire, her face deep red and her hair flaming on top.  
  
"I-I guess so," she whispered, checking around them to make sure no one noticed  
her confession. Shannon kept smiling and the two walked on.  
  
"I could tell. You're too red every time his name is mentioned."   
  
Ginny smiled uncertainly, realizing that Ron had either told Harry about how much  
she talked about him, or Harry could tell himself that she liked him. How embarrassing.  
  
"What do we have next?" Shannon asked, much to Ginny's relief at the change of  
subject. She glanced at her schedule she'd clenched in her hand, making sure it was in her  
possession ever since they'd gotten them. Wouldn't it be just like her to not know what  
class was next and have to ask some one?  
  
"Charms with the Hufflepuffs," Ginny answered.  
  
"Oh, good. Hannah says everyone in Hufflepuff is really nice. And Flitwick is  
supposed to be real good too. You know, not hard on grading and nice to you even if you  
mess up," Shanna said. The two new friends walked down the hall and up stairs to reach  
their class.  
  
"Welcome, first years. This year, we will be working on basic charms and by the  
end of the year, you should have learned enough to go on. Let's take roll," a short wizard  
announced as soon as everyone was seated. He went through everyone's names, and then  
asked that they took out their books.  
  
Ginny pushed aside a ragged A History of Magic and a barely recognizable  
Magical Drafts and Potions looking for The Standard Book of Spells she remembered was  
missing alot of pages. Even as she thought about how bad it would be not to have all the  
spells in the book, she saw that her book wasn't there. She searched again, looking under a  
stack of parchment and her dragon hide gloves, but still no Book of Spells turned up. With  
a flash of memory, Ginny remembered bumping into Harry. She must have left her book  
there. Timidly, she raised her hand.  
  
"Yes, Miss Weasley?" Flitwick said, seeing her hand. He was bending over Collin's  
book, showing him the page.  
  
"I-I can't find my book, Professor," Ginny stuttered, feeling her face heat up.  
  
"Then share with-" Flitwick looked back to the student he was helping, "-Collin."  
Ginny knew her face must have gone a deep shade of red, judging from the heat  
she felt under her hands that held her cheeks. She knew she'd never get through the class,  
with Harry's biggest fan chattering in her ear the whole time. Collin didn't seem to notice  
her resistance to share a book with him as she sat down in a chair next to his desk.  
  
"Boy, I'm glad I get to share with you. I'm never sure what page the teacher  
means, and it gets confusing, you know? First day and all ready the professor knows that  
I'm not so good at listening. Well, since you don't have your book, you can tell me about  
Harry's visit with your family while I look this stuff up." Even as Collin turned the pages in  
his brand-new Charms book, he didn't shut up, not even to supposedly let Ginny tell him  
about Harry's stay.  
  
"-and is it true about how he's really good at Quidditch? I haven't ever seen a  
game, but it's supposed to be really exciting and Seeker is the hardest position isn't it?  
Amazing that he got on as a first year. That was the first in-" Ginny was busy trying to get  
her wand to cooperate that she wasn't listening to his chatter. As she tried to get her little  
bug, bugs each of the students had been given to use, to levitate, she felt a poke in the  
back. She yelped and the little bug fell of the desk. Collin was still oblivious; he  
immediately stomped on it, his mouth still going full speed. Ginny slid down in her seat as  
boys behind he snickered. Flitwick came over and lectured them all on acting their age,  
and gave Ginny a strange look, also noting the squashed bug, causing more laughs.  
  
"I guess you need another bug," Flitwick said, leaving her desk as she sunk lower,  
wishing she was invisible.  
  
Would this horrible day ever end?  



	7. Bad Dreams and Feathers

Chapter 7~Bad Dreams and Feathers  
  
Dear Tom,  
  
Would you believe that things have gotten worse? I honestly hate Hogwarts!  
  
Ginny felt her tears as she forced herself to write in her, or rather, Tom's, diary. He  
made her feel extremely guilty if she ever missed a day, or left something out of her day,  
so she made sure all her feelings of the day went into the black book.  
  
Oh, Ginny. I'm so sorry. I'm sure things will get better.  
  
Blinking back tears so her vision wasn't as blurring, Ginny bit her lip as she wrote  
back.  
  
You've said that before and they haven't. I can't do anything in classes, my teachers  
think I don't study enough. I try, but there's never time! And I've only made one friend, but  
she's never really around because she hangs out with her older sister and Ron would never  
let me tag along with him. I'm always so tired and I miss my mum and dad!  
  
All of this was quickly scrawled across the blank page, along with a few tear drops  
that fell, making the emotion hard to read.   
  
It does sound terrible. Is Harry still ignoring you, too?  
  
Looking around the dormitory to check for anyone straggling in for whatever  
reason, Ginny hunched over the book and wrote back. There was no way she wanted  
anyone else to read this. It was embaressing enough to write to some one you couldn't see  
about your problems. But to have some one in person reading it would be mortifying.  
  
Well, in a way he does. He's busy with Quidditch practice, and, when he's not  
doing that or school, he just stays with Ron and Hermione and I couldn't hang out with  
them because Ron hates to have me around. But, when I went looking around for Harry  
yesterday, just minding my own business, Hagrid came out and talked with me. He must  
know that I like Harry because he said he hadn't seen Harry lately but would tell me if he  
did. I had to invent some lie about having lots to study just to hide my face. It was  
horrible, Tom! I mean, I like Hagrid, but I hate to be teased by anyone. It's just so....mean!  
  
Ginny rolled over onto her stomach on her bed. She felt really faint, blinking not  
from tears, but because of exhaustion. She could barely keep her eyes open anymore. She  
yawned, wondering why on earth she was so out of it lately. Groggily, the thought left like  
smoke and she turned back to the diary.  
  
I understand, my dear. I was teased occasionally too, for being an orphan and all.   
At least you have parents.  
  
Blushing for being so thoughtless about her situation compared to Tom's, Ginny  
wrote,  
  
Oh, Tom, I shouldn't complain about my little problems with all you went through!  
Forgive me please. I won't whine about my own promblems again.  
  
As soon as they words disappeared, Tom's reply was back. Ginny stared,  
astonished at the speed. She read,  
  
Don't be so hard on yourself. I like to listen to you. It's the first contact I've had in  
a while. Please, keep writing your feelings. Stop being so silly and just tell it to Old Tom  
here. I always have time to listen.  
  
Smiling at her friend's understanding nature, Ginny wrote late into the night, just as  
she did every day, pouring her soul out for Tom to read about, finally drifting off into a  
troubled sleep.  
  
~  
  
She started from her bed, dripping with sweat. Ginny had just had a nightmare.  
She couldn't quite recall what had happened, but it was a really horrible one, she  
remembered that much. Trying to shrug it off as just the result of never having anything  
happy to think about, she decided to write some more in the diary. She always did now,  
knowing it was kind of silly to keep such a close friendship with a basically dead person,  
but he was all she had. Besides, whenever she didn't write, she felt worse than ever, as if all  
her emotions were bottled and she had to get them out on the paper.   
  
Ginny reached for her wand and whispered, "Lumos," to help her find the diary in  
the early morning lack of light. As the light came from the end of the wand, she gasped,  
seeing she wasn't just dripping with sweat. Sticky blood stubbornly trickled down her  
arms, causing her to stare at them. Was she bleeding? Abandoning the thought of Tom for  
the moment, she ran out of the room, clutching her lit-up wand. Instinct took over as she  
searched for a bathroom.   
  
She stumbled through the portrait hole, going through hallways she didn't even  
know about yet. When she did find a bathroom, she pushed through the door, yearning for  
water to wash her blood and whatever wound she had. As the low candles flickered, she  
peered into the mirror, dumbfounded.   
  
Feathers littered her pajamas, sticking to the blood.  
  



	8. The Dream That Happened

  
Chapter 8~The Dream That Happened.  
  
Ginny didn't sleep that night, so terrified that she had stayed awake in her bed,  
staring at the ceiling. She had no idea what had happened since she'd fallen asleep until the  
time she'd gone into the bathroom to clean up. Obviously, something very bad had gone  
on.  
  
When the castle started to show signs of the others waking, Ginny miserably rolled  
to her side and pretended to be sleeping. No one came to wake her, not even Shannon.  
This made her in worse condition than before, and when she finally did drag herself out of  
bed, she knew she'd missed breakfast and was likely to have a major headache later, with  
lack of both sleep and nutrition.  
  
No matter how much she tried, she couldn't explain the blood and feathers she'd  
found that night. What could possibly have happened? Ginny had no idea and she scared  
to ask. Surely she would be found out, that she was acting guilty for being associated with  
she didn't know what.   
  
Ginny pulled on a white, homemade sweatshirt underneath her robes and she  
grabbed her black diary on the way out of the dormitory. She had a bunch to talk with  
Tom about. What if she was in deep trouble? Tom would know what to do.  
There was actually some time in her classes to do write in it, since no one was  
really paying attention near Halloween anyway and the teachers had given up on getting  
everyonr to work. When everyone else went off with their friends to talk and laugh in  
Charms, Ginny retreated to the farthest nook she could find. Tucked away in her own  
corner, Ginny wrote furiously, pouring out everything to the invisible friend she had.  
  
  
Something has happened, Tom.  
  
  
The answer didn't come immediately, and Ginny started to worry as she hunched  
over the little book, willing words to come through the print. Just as she was about to put  
the book away and sleep, the book came alive, like it was waiting for her to get desperate.  
  
  
So sorry, dear. Just not used to being awake this early, Tom wrote back.  
  
  
Ginny sighed with relief and scribbled back.  
  
  
I forgot it was so early. I didn't sleep at all last night.  
  
  
Whatever happened?  
  
  
Ginny preceded to pour out the whole story, though she wasn't able to supply  
much details about what happened. She felt silly writing this now, realizing that there was  
nothing that Tom could do about it, since she didn't know the whole story herself.  
  
  
You woke up from a nightmare covered in blood and feathers? How strange. I  
don't know what to say, Ginny. If you hadn't cleaned it off yourself, I would just have to  
say you were dreaming.  
  
  
I wish I was. But it's too real, Tom!  
  
  
Calm down. I'm sure there's an explanation.  
  
  
Ginny shook her head sadly. She knew there couldn't possibly be any explanation  
for what was happening. None of it fit together, the little bits of information that she had.  
Tom, she feared, really didn't know what he was talking about. She decided to leave the  
diary and catch up on some sleeptime.  
  
  
I really should try and nap. I'm horribly tired.  
  
  
No, no! You can't sleep when you have this type of thing happening to you. Talk  
to me, Ginny. Please? I'm ever so lonely when you don't write in this.  
  
  
Oh, I'm so sorry! I had no idea.  
  
  
The rest of the day, in each class, was spent checking in with Tom. Except in  
Potions, of course, where Ginny kept the book shut and buried under all her other books,  
having explained to Tom that she couldn't possibly have written anything with Snape  
breathing in the room. She couldn't barely keep her eyes open during the class anyway,  
and she was snapped at anyway.  
  
"Ms. Weasley, if you would kindly wake up!" Ginny's eyes shot open and she  
stared into Snape's dark eyes, pulsing with hate. She shrank away, but didn't hear a word  
of his ugly remarks. Somewhere in her mind, she was plotting a way to get rid of him. An  
easy slit across the throat, a single drop of poisen into his goblet at dinner, cursing him  
with a wand that worked deadly.....  
  
Ginny shook herself mentally. Where did those thoughts come from?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Later, in the common room, Ginny sat herself in a corner, again, and wrote to  
Tom, horribly disturbed by news she'd just overheard from Ron, Harry, and Hermione.  
She feared something that made all the puzzles of the night before come together.  
  
  
Remember my nightmare, Tom? And how I couldn't remember it, even if it was  
terrible?  
  
  
Yes?  
  
  
Ginny scanned the room to make sure she was still invisible to everyone and she  
focused again on the page.  
  
  
I remember it know. It wasn't a nightmare either.  
  
  
I think you lost me, dear. Tell me more about this...nightmare. How'd you  
remember it?  
  
  
I overheard Ron talking about how Hagrid had found the rooster dead this  
morning, very bloody. This image came into my mind. I strangled that bird, Tom! I know I  
did. The nightmare actually happened. After I had gone to bed, I'd woken up and gone to  
the chicken coop and killed the rooster. I remember taking those steps and the blood...I  
didn't even notice it. All I knew was that I had to kill that rooster. I don't know why  
though, Tom!  
  
  
Ginny, dear, do try and calm yourself.   
  
  
Ginny couldn't be calmed. She was too nervous and upset to even think straight.  
She wished so much that life was simpler, without all the complicated ways the wizarding  
world worked. Trying to get it out, and figuring it was a diary, Ginny scrawled her  
thoughts to Tom.  
  
  
I really wish sometimes, that I wasn't a witch at all, that I was just a normal  
Muggle without any problems.  
  
  
Don't say such things, Ginny! Being a Muggle....that would be horrible!  
  
  
Ginny stared at the page, watching the words disappear. What did Tom mean by  
that? she wondered. All her life, she'd never seen what was so bad about Muggles, except  
that they couldn't use magic. In fact, she thought it made their lives much less  
complicated, being able to just live without having to worry about such things like spells,  
wierd dreams that were real and Dark Magic. Tom had acted like she said she wanted to  
kill them.  
  
  
Ginny? Are you still there?  
  
  
"What are you doing, Ginny?" Ginny jumped about five feet, heart pounding. She  
slammed the diary closed quickly and hunched over it. Then, she looked up into Shannon's  
face. Relieved it wasn't Harry, Ginny tried to smile, though another thought occured to  
her. What if Shannon had read what she was writing?  
  
"I haven't talked to you in forever. Do you want to play a game of Chess with  
me?" Shannon asked, setting down a box in front of herself, obviously having planned to  
play with Ginny anyway. Ginny kept a sigh to herself and agreed, partly grateful to not  
have to respond to Tom's strange outburst. What did he have against Muggles?  
  



	9. Halloween Morning

Chapter 9~Halloween Morning   
  
The air was crisp and it bit through Ginny's worn out coat as she shuffled around   
outside, wishing that the day would begin. She was up early for some reason and her eyes   
were still blurry with sleep, but she had tried and failed to make herself go back to sleep.   
When she'd glanced out the window to find the new day dawning and the leaves a pretty   
shade of orange, Ginny had the crazy idea that a walk outside would be nice. She had been   
wrong.   
  
The morning air seemed thin or maybe she was just out of shape. Either way,   
Ginny was out of breath very shortly, and she hadn't even reached Hagrid's cabin. She'd   
been planning to see the pumpkins he'd been bragging about and see if they were really as   
big as Ron, Fred, and George had said. That thought was quickly dashed as she found   
herself wheezing from walking a few more feet from the castle.   
  
Deciding that the cold was getting too much, Ginny walked back inside, finding   
she felt lighter and breathing was easier as she neared it. For this, she was glad. Not only   
did she not feel sick anymore, but if she did even look it, stupid Percy would no doubt   
shove more Pepper-Up Potion down her throat. He'd down it a week ago, and she wasn't   
about to forgive him for it anytime soon, especially since Harry had been there to witness   
it all. Fred had said something about a fire being started in the common room and George   
had gotten more laughs from the pointing out that the smoke was taking over the room.   
  
Ginny didn't want to think of such bad things now. Her night hadn't ended so   
badly, mostly because Shannon had spent the whole time with her, introducing her to two   
other first years, and she hadn't had any more frightening dreams. Tom didn't even seem   
that bossy this morning, when she'd woken up and informed him that she would be taking   
a walk. He'd just said not to go to far and get lost. She smiled at his slight mothering of   
her. Surprisingly, she did miss all the protecting her mother had done. When she'd   
mentioned this though, Ron had rolled his eyes and said that if she went back, she'd be   
cured of those thoughts soon enough. Ginny guessed this was true. No one wanted to be   
babied when they were being forced to put up with it.   
  
When she entered the hallways, she noticed little house elves all around, hurriedly   
putting up decorations of some sort. Looking closer, Ginny could see pumpkins, bats,   
skeletons, and other various scary things. Streamers of orange and black criss-crossed   
high above her head as she walked with her head horizontal. Halloween! How could she   
have forgotten?   
  
She had been rather tired lately, her brain barely able to stay awake in classes.   
Staying awake wasn't enough to do well in classes. Professor McGonagall had pulled her   
out of the commons area and told her that she was currently failing all her classes. While   
Ginny would've been terrified a few months ago, the thought of having to leave Hogwarts   
didn't seem to bad after all. She'd just nodded to the Professor and sat back down like   
nothing had happened. And it really felt like nothing had. Percy had nosed into her   
business, trying to find out what the Professor had said, but she snapped at him, really   
angrily, and he laid off. The others noticed her touchy mood and left her alone, again.   
  
Ginny sighed as she paused in front of the Fat Lady and opened her mouth to say   
the password. Her eyes went wide. She didn't remember it.   
  
"Well, dearie, it's about time you got back. Been out for a while, eh?" the Fat Lady   
commented, always being nosy.   
  
"Shut up! I can't think!" Ginny cried at the portrait, immediately feeling stupid for   
yelling at a picture. The Fat Lady managed to grab some dignity and look offended. Ginny   
couldn't help but glare at her. This was getting on her nerves.   
  
"Could you just open up?" Ginny asked, knowing the answer even before the Fat   
Lady said no.   
  
"Fine," Ginny said in icy tones and continued her glare, feeling a strange anger   
surging through her. All that she wanted to do was rip that the Fat Lady's face, using her   
nails to just tear through the canvas. If this "picture" was going to get in her way, then   
she'd just have to get rid of it. It must have been a very convincing glare because the Fat   
  
Lady shrieked and ran off the picture. "Great," Ginny mumbled, remembering that the   
portraits could visit eachother and there was no telling when they would return.   
  
As she slumped on the ground next to the portrait, she jumped as she heard voices   
and watched as the portrait swung forward, Harry, Ron, and Hermione exitting.   
  
"I can't wait for tonight," Hermione commented to the two boys. She did look   
excited, with her eyes glowing and her hands clasped together. The only times Ginny saw   
her like that was when she aced a test or talked about Professor Lockhart.   
  
"Ya, me too," Ron grumbled. Ginny wondered why Ron was in a bad mood.   
  
"Ron, don't be so down. We'll be one of the first people, well, alive people, to be   
allowed to go to a deathday party. I've read about them, and they sound so interesting,"   
Hermione gushed. Ginny could've rolled her eyes. She used to think Hermione was nice;   
she was getting annoying though, with all her reading and studying nonsense.   
  
"Well, we promised-" Harry started, and then looked down, to find Ginny listening   
to the three as they stood discussing their Halloween plans.   
  
"I-I-I-"   
  
"Ginny! Why can't you find friends of your own? You always have to hang around   
me!" Ron shouted, his face turning red with anger. Ginny stared at him, not believing that   
this was her brother, the one who had comforted her at the start of the term that things   
weren't as bad as George and Fred said.   
  
Her own anger surged through her. But it wasn't the healthy, bubbling anger that   
she usually felt with her brothers when they teased her or bothered her. This anger was   
boiling red, raging through her veins like she couldn't contain it in her small body. Like   
some one else's anger had taken over...   
  
"I don't want to be friends with your friends. I hate you and them too!" Ginny   
lunged, needing something to do with everything that was pounding inside her. Ron fell,   
surprised by the attack, and didn't struggle until he realized that it was his little sister   
pinning him to the ground and shouting in his face. She felt words she didn't thought she   
knew coming out her mouth, bad ones that Mum would've washed her mouth with pig-fat   
soap, that one that guarantees no more dirty words.   
  
Harry and Hermione came to save Ron, both of them pulling Ginny's arms away   
from him. Ron lay panting on the ground as Ginny squirmed.   
  
"What's wrong with you?" Ron demanded, sounding horribly angry. Ginny   
supposed he had a right, since his baby sister had just knocked the wind out of him and   
cussed him out. Hermione whispered something to Harry and he nodded. Ginny felt her   
body being transferred over to Hermione.   
  
"What's the matter, Ginny, dear?" Hermione quietly rephrased Ron's question,   
shifting Ginny into her arms, in a hug. Ginny let her, the angry feeling having left her. It   
left as quickly as it came and she felt deflated, like some one had let the air out of her, the   
life was swooshed from her body.   
  
"I don't know. I just am so lonely," Ginny cried, sobbing into Hermione's robes.   
She hadn't cried in so long, like her emotions had been sucked dry everytime she spilled   
her thoughts into the diary.   
  
When all her stored up tears were gone, the four stood in front of the Fat Lady,   
three of them staring at the little redhead girl, one staring at the floor. Ginny couldn't   
believe she'd done what she had. She'd never attacked anyone before. Why had she done it   
now?   
  
"Please don't tell anyone. Especially Percy. He'll write mum," Ginny whimpered.   
The others nodded in agreement and Harry suggested they go to breakfast. Ginny gave   
him a soggy smile, making him turn away. She stared at the ground again, noting that she   
made him nervous, like he wasn't sure how to handle having a ten-year-old like him.   
  
Hermione's arms were still around her shoulders, and she shrugged them off. "I   
forgot something in the dormitory," Ginny explained as Hermione gave her a concerned   
look. Nodding, she let Ginny go and the girl dashed back to the portrait, and knocked in   
to some one as she rushed through. She had to talk to Tom. She didn't know why, but she   
just felt a connection, something tugging at her to go to the diary.   
  
All the bad feelings she'd had earlier were erased as she picked up the black book and   
began to write in it. Only a twinge of suspicion pricked her as she poured her heart out,   
again. 


End file.
